Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LVMS’ Powell: No word from CART ‘in weeks’

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2001 | 11:43 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

Chris Powell's phone hasn't exactly been ringing off the hook lately and that could spell bad news for local open-wheel racing fans.

Powell, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager, said Tuesday that he has had no contact with anyone from CART "in weeks" regarding the open-wheel series racing next year at the speedway.

It was widely reported that when CART and Texas Motor Speedway settled their lawsuit last week over the cancellation of the April 29 race at TMS, the Texas date would be moved to LVMS as part of the settlement.

Powell said he has not talked with CART chairman and CEO Joe Heitzler since the settlement was announced last Tuesday.

"I'll listen to any phone calls I get (from Heitzler)," Powell said, "but I have not talked to anyone (from CART) in weeks."

Powell said he remained open to the possibility of hosting a CART race next season "if it makes good business sense."

LVMS has not hosted an open-wheel race since April 2000, when Al Unser Jr. won the fifth -- and apparently final -- Indy Racing League event at the speedway.

Cheever opened the 2001 season with Excite@Home as his primary sponsor, but lost that funding after the Indianapolis 500 in May.

"We are focused on helping Nissan become the first Japanese manufacturer to win the Indianapolis 500," Cheever said. "In this endeavor, we are incredibly excited to partner with Red Bull, the world leader in energy drinks. Red Bull has successfully built a motor sports marketing plan for their product, and we are proud to be the focus of their U.S. efforts."

Red Bull also sponsors the Orange Arrows Formula One team.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk was scheduled to test for Treadway-Hubbard and Buzz Calkins was scheduled to test for Bradley. Both drivers were to return for testing today. Rick Treadway also was scheduled to test today for his father's team.

Ten teams and 11 drivers have tested at IMS since the end of the IRL season earlier this month. Jaques Lazier posted the fastest speed with a lap of 225.006 mph in his Team Menard Dallara/Oldsmobile. Reigning Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves also tested at Indy last week and posted a top speed of 221.311 mph in a Roger Penske-owned Dallara/Oldsmobile.

Nunn said he would continue to field his Pioneer/WorldCom-sponsored Honda/Reynard in the CART FedEx Championship Series. Tony Kanaan and Casey Mears currently drive for Nunn in CART. Mears replaced Alex Zanardi after Zanardi lost both legs in an accident during a race last month in Germany.

Nunn becomes the second owner to field cars in both CART and the IRL. Derrick Walker fields cars for Tora Takagi in CART and Sarah Fisher in the IRL.